[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 138 (Tuesday, July 21, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35840-35841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17273]
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U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Board for International Food and Agricultural Development; One
Hundred and Fifty-Seventh Meeting; Notice of Meeting
Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, notice is hereby
given of the one hundred and fifty-seventh meeting of the Board for
International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD). The meeting
will be held from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 29, 2009 at the National
Press Club located at 529 14th St., NW., Washington, DC. The venue will
be the Holeman Lounge
[[Page 35841]]
which is located on the 13th floor of the National Press Club. ``Higher
Education: A Critical Partner in Global Agricultural Development''
continues to be the central theme of BIFAD's initiatives and the July
meeting.
Dr. Robert Easter, Chairman of BIFAD, will preside over the
proceedings. Dr. Easter is Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Food security, including the broadly emerging issues surrounding
climate change, and the role of universities in partnership with USAID
to achieve critical short and long-term development objectives is the
focus of the Board's Agenda as set for the 157th meeting. The 157th
meeting continues to build toward the establishment of a special
strategic partnership between USAID and the university community and
the launching of a university ``Brain Trust.'' Underpinning these
initiatives the Board's discussion incorporates the results from its
second Conference of Deans (COD II) which was held in Washington, DC on
June 28 and 29, 2009. The COD II's theme was ``Building a Global Food
Security Strategy: The Role of Higher Education in US International
Development.''
BIFAD's morning session will begin with a panel discussion,
``BIFAD's Conference of Deans II: Perspectives on Food Security and the
Role of Universities.'' University recommendations and USAID
perspectives from the COD II will be presented. A second panel will
compliment the first session with the discussion, ``Partners in
Development: Business, Cooperatives and NGOs.'' At mid-morning
congressional staff will provide updates on directions and funding
implications of the Lugar-Casey and McCollum Agriculture Bills.
Particular attention will be directed to the HECTARE component of the
legislation. Congressional presenters will be Connie Veillette, Senior
Professional Staff Member, House Foreign Relation Committee and Peter
Frosch, Legislative Director, Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Time
will be made available for questions from the public attending.
After the morning break the Board will hear commentary from the
university community on ``USAID's Agricultural Development Plans for
Afghanistan.'' Several university perspectives will be presented.
Following an executive luncheon (closed to the public) the Board
will continue discussion with an emphasis on agricultural innovation
and responses to the impending climate change, particularly from an
agro-ecological perspective. This will be highlighted in a special
panel presentation, ``Climate Proofing Agriculture: Lessons from the
System of Rice Intensification.'' The presentation will be led by
Norman Uphoff, Program Leader for Sustainable Rice Intensification,
Cornell University. USDA's response will be provided by Carol Kramer-
LeBlanc, Director, Sustainable Development Program, USDA/CREES.
Shifting to a regional focus, USAID's Latin American Bureau will
present to the Board key aspects of its trade-led strategy for
agricultural diversification to promote agriculture and food security,
``Optimizing the Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction Benefits of
CAFTA-DR.'' This USAID presentation will be delivered by a
representative from the Office of Sustainable Development, Bureau for
Latin America.
Operational and management issues pertaining to the Board and
linked to implementation of Title XII will be covered through several
reports. First, the Board's sub-committee, Strategic Partnership for
Agricultural Research and Education (SPARE), will report on its
February 2009 meeting held at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Topics to be covered are SPARE's discussion on the Casey-Lugar Bill,
specifically on how the Agency could implement the HECTARE portion of
the legislation, and issues related to scaling-up agricultural
programming in view of the Agency's increased efforts in Afghanistan
and Pakistan. The concluding report will be an update from USAID's
Office of Acquisitions and Assistance (OAA) on USAID's rule regarding
the use of key subcontractors by prime contractors; particularly with
regard to universities as subcontractors.
The Board meeting is open to the public. The Board welcomes open
dialogue to promote greater focus on critical issues facing USAID, the
role of universities in development, and applications of U.S.
scientific, technical and institutional capabilities to international
agriculture. Note on Public Comments: Due to time constraints public
comments to the Board will be limited to two (2) minutes to accommodate
as many as possible. The comments must be submitted ahead of the
meeting and they must be in writing.
Those wishing to attend the meeting or obtain additional
information about BIFAD should contact Dr. Ronald S. Senykoff,
Executive Director and Designated Federal Officer for BIFAD. Write him
in care of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Ronald Reagan
Building, Office of Development Partners, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW., Room 6.7-153, Washington, DC, 20523-2110 or telephone him at (202)
712-0218 or fax (202) 216-3124.
Ronald S. Senykoff,
Executive Director and USAID Designated Federal Officer for BIFAD,
Office of Development Partners, U.S. Agency for International
Development.
[FR Doc. E9-17273 Filed 7-20-09; 8:45 am]
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